A group from Rhode Island settled in the area of Middletown Township and Shrewsbury Township in the mid-1660s, after having purchased what was known as the Monmouth Patent. Thomas Whyte, an English carpenter from the shore-side community of Deal, Kent, acquired 500 acres (200 ha) in Shrewsbury Township along the shore that became known as "Deal". Present-day Norwood Avenue dates back to the early 18th century construction of the Long Branch-Deal Turnpike.[19]

Deal boasts a significant population of OrthodoxSephardic Jews, mainly of Syrian extraction. In the 2000 Census, 16.4% of Deal residents identified as being of Syrian heritage, the greatest percentage of Syrian Americans in any municipality in the country.[21] As much as 80% of Deal's population are Sephardi Jews, and the population swells to over 6,000 during the summer, many of them Syrian Jews.[22][23]

There were 333 households, of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.90.[7]

In the borough, 14.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.9 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.[7]

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $59,615 (with a margin of error of +/- $17,199) and the median family income was $95,833 (+/- $32,359). Males had a median income of $52,625 (+/- $17,303) versus $25,139 (+/- $4,348) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,867 (+/- $8,038). About 4.1% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.[32]

There were 434 households out of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02.[30][31]

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.[30][31]

The median income for a household in the borough was $58,472, and the median income for a family was $65,313. Males had a median income of $57,857 versus $27,813 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,510. About 7.8% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.[30][31]

Deal is governed under the Walsh Act form of government by three commissioners who serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year.[5]

As of 2015[update], members of the Deal Committee are Mayor Morris Ades, Samuel M. Cohen and Virginia S. Wiener.[4] Mayor Harry Franco, who had first been elected as a commissioner, died on January 30, 2013.[33]

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 616 registered voters in Deal, of which 113 (18.3%) were registered as Democrats, 146 (23.7%) were registered as Republicans and 357 (58.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[54]

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 71.4% of the vote (225 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 27.9% (88 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (2 votes), among the 316 ballots cast by the borough's 602 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 52.5%.[55][56] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 71.0% of the vote (303 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 25.8% (110 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (2 votes), among the 427 ballots cast by the borough's 678 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.0%.[57] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 66.7% of the vote (314 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 32.1% (151 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (4 votes), among the 471 ballots cast by the borough's 768 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 61.3.[58]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.8% of the vote (122 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.4% (36 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (3 votes), among the 163 ballots cast by the borough's 597 registered voters (2 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 27.3%.[59][60] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.4% of the vote (172 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 31.6% (83 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 3.0% (8 votes) and other candidates with 0.0% ( votes), among the 263 ballots cast by the borough's 654 registered voters, yielding a 40.2% turnout.[61]

As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 18.57 miles (29.89 km) of roadways, of which 17.11 miles (27.54 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.00 miles (0 km) by Monmouth County and 1.46 miles (2.35 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[69]

On August 14, 1829, at 11:30 PM local time, the fall of a meteorite was observed.[73] The weight of the recovered stone was 28 grams (0.99 oz). The meteorite was officially named "Deal" and it was classified as an ordinary chondrite L.[74]

^Fahim, Kareem. "Sephardic Jews Developed Haven on the Jersey Shore", The New York Times, July 24, 2009. Accessed July 18, 2012. "In the late 1960s, Sephardic Jews who lived in Brooklyn and spent summers in nearby Bradley Beach began buying land in Deal; by 1973, more than 100 families had bought property in the town. By the mid-1990s, thousands of Sephardic Jews were flocking to the town during the summers, and today, local historians estimate, they make up 80 percent of the population."

^ abMullen, Shannon; Shields, Nancy; and Matheson, Kathy. "Crime, school solutions costly as city seeks rebirth; High school improving, but not enough, many say", Asbury Park Press, January 27, 2005. Accessed August 28, 2013. "It was the day of the charter school's annual lottery, when names of applicants are drawn at random to fill the last remaining slots in next fall's freshman class. Academy Charter, now in its seventh year, is free to students in Asbury Park and the seven nearby towns that are sending districts for Asbury Park High School: Allenhurst, Avon, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Deal, Interlaken and Lake Como, formerly South Belmar."

^About Us, Academy Charter High School. Accessed August 27, 2013. "Academy Charter High School is a free public high school for residents of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Avon, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Deal, Interlaken, and Lake Como."